Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Shakhty Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Shakhty

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,689 per month in Moscow vs $969 in Shakhty, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Moscow vs $1,480 in Shakhty, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,475 per month in Moscow vs $1,991 in Shakhty, rent included.

Moscow costs about 74% more than Shakhty, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Moscow sits 26% above the global median, while Shakhty is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.95 ₽931

$9.38 ₽675

38.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 ₽4,098

$37.81 ₽2,718

50.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 ₽454

$5.55 ₽399

13.69%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽238

$2.30 ₽165

43.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₽100

$1.12 ₽80.5

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽45.27

$0.52 ₽37.29

21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 ₽313

$1.40 ₽101

210.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 ₽325

$2.47 ₽177

83.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ₽96.9

$1.10 ₽79.1

22.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽63.8

$0.71 ₽51.0

25.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 ₽121

$1.36 ₽98.0

23.53%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽133

$1.72 ₽124

7.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 ₽930

$10.80 ₽777

19.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 ₽433

$4.84 ₽348

24.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 ₽876

$9.02 ₽648

35.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽139

$1.81 ₽130

7.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ₽148

$1.90 ₽137

8.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ₽163

$1.98 ₽142

14.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ₽291

$2.75 ₽197

46.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽70.7

$0.84 ₽60.3

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ₽57.1

$0.66 ₽47.75

19.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽121

$1.39 ₽100

21.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽57.0

$0.72 ₽51.9

9.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₽232

$2.95 ₽212

9.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 ₽783

$8.02 ₽576

35.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₽80.0

$0.93 ₽67.0

19.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₽174

$1.96 ₽141

22.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₽64.8

$0.49 ₽34.99

83.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.34 ₽2,757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 ₽180

$1.88 ₽135

33.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ₽32.21

$0.33 ₽23.39

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₽570

$6.28 ₽452

26.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽58.8

$0.73 ₽52.6

12.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.4K ₽2.7M

$34.2K ₽2.5M

9.48%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.6K ₽2.6M

$36.1K ₽2.6M

1.43%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$150 ₽10.8K

$111 ₽7,980

34.92%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.15 ₽586

$5.79 ₽416

40.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.04 ₽578

$7.85 ₽564

2.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 ₽3,396

$35.65 ₽2,563

32.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.36 ₽2,470

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ₽464

$5.16 ₽371

25.00%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$698 ₽50.2K

$326 ₽23.4K

114.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.1M

$6,863 ₽493.5K

114.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 ₽6,299

$69.4 ₽4,988

26.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 ₽3,794

$44.27 ₽3,183

19.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,388

$114 ₽8,164

15.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 ₽11.5K

$108 ₽7,740

48.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ₽94.2K

$452 ₽32.5K

189.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 ₽53.2K

$303 ₽21.8K

144.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,942 ₽211.5K

$766 ₽55.1K

284.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 ₽103.2K

$517 ₽37.2K

177.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽852.6K

$2,625 ₽188.7K

351.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,856 ₽349.1K

$1,786 ₽128.4K

171.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,014 ₽144.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

15.33

59.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Moscow: June 6, 2026

Last update for Shakhty: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,310 in Moscow versus $452 in Shakhty. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Moscow versus $38.00 in Shakhty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $199 – making Shakhty the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Moscow vs Shakhty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 74% more than Shakhty, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,533 per month in Moscow and $1,453 in Shakhty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shakhty, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Moscow and $38.00 in Shakhty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Moscow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shakhty, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Moscow at $1,689. In Shakhty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shakhty costs $969 versus $1,689 in Moscow. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Shakhty. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moscow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.